Animal Welfare in Australia

Month: February 2009

Pounds and shelters report increasing numbers of people surrendering their pets . Many think they are doing the right thing.

What they are often not told is that their pet stands a good chance of being euthenased, and not rehomed. Just look at the numbers. Some are easy to rehome, some are not. If it’s a cat, its chances drop markedly. If it’s old, or “ugly” its chances drop markedly. If the pound doesn’t have an effective volunteer and rescue group working alongside it – as many don’t – its chances drop markedly. Some pounds are good at explaining this to the owner, some are not……

Underdog’s article says:

“So why do these animals end up in the pound? What can we do to reverse this? If you are considering surrendering your pet to a pound or shelter- STOP. There may be avenues you have not yet explored.

Many of the dogs currently on death row were much loved family pets at some point in their life. Despite the fact that the dogs may be well behaved, wonderful companions many do not make it out of the pound or shelter alive……..” Read the rest here….

We asked Underdog Training to produce this useful short information sheet as a resource you can print off and give to anyone you know thinking of surrendering their pet. Go here to download the article..

DRP comment: we hope this is a useful resource for pound staff, pound volunteers and anyone who knows a person or family who feel they need to give up their animal. It won’t solve every situation, but you never know.

The Pet Industry has naturally knocked back the inquiry, stating that a specialist review would be enough. Given that the majority of specialists either work for/are members of the Pet Industry, an inquiry under oath in a formal parliamentary setting is more appropriate. Then we can be sure of a transparent and formal process with the full accountability and recognition of all the agencies and organisations involved.

There is too much money and self interest involved in this problem to allow a secret review. .the estimated $60 million dollars that that charities, the NSW government and the taxpayer pays every year on this issue far outweighs the cost of an inquiry (which, by the way, is largely free . . . committee’s are already formed and paid for . . that’s all they do)

Council workers, pounds, volunteers and the NSW tax payer need greater support on this problem, estimated to be costing as much as $60m a year. The inquiry will finally gather solid information that the NSW Government can use to make business decisions to fix NSW Animal Policies and heal the system.

There has been a flurry of newspaper articles over the past few weeks……

Pet industry, animal groups bares teeth over inquiry SMH Jan 16 09

“A bitter war of words has erupted between animal welfare groups and the pet industry over calls for a public inquiry into the number of healthy dogs and cats that are killed annually.

Large numbers of animals are euthanased each year in pounds run by the RSPCA, local councils and other groups yet the exact figures – and the reasons they end up being killed – are hotly disputed. To read article, click here……“

“TANGO was too aggressive, Alice too old, Coco too sick and Bosco too psycho. All – and hundreds more – are now dead.

Mysterious deaths at one of the city’s biggest pounds have sparked a major campaign by animal welfare and rescue groups to end the bloodletting at The Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.”To read article, click here…..

Grim end for Christmas puppies SMH, Dec 23 09

“It would be a hard heart that could resist the sight of puppies tumbling over one another in a pet shop window.

Many people do succumb to their charms, especially at this time of year, paying up to $1500 to take home an instant new family member.

But behind this heart-warming scene a venomous debate is raging about the way puppies are bred and sold. Opponents claim it is a profit-driven, inhumane business that indirectly causes the destruction of more than 60,000 unwanted dogs a year.” To read article, click here….

Dead dogs walking get reprieve SMH, Dec 23 09

“WITHIN about 100 metres of Monika Biernacki’s property at Ingleside you may as well turn off the GPS, open the car window and follow your ears.

This is a semi-rural part of Sydney with houses spaced wide apart on big blocks – which is a good thing, because the 100 or so dogs whose barking will guide you the last part of the journey to Monika’s Doggie Rescue make one hell of a racket.” To read article, click here…

RSPCA says adoption is best SMH Dec 23 09

“Nationwide last year, the RSPCA received 70,514 dogs at its pounds. Of those, 19,276 were rehomed but nearly 24,000 were put down.

And both those figures are growing. In fact, the number of dogs received in shelters and pounds has gone up by more than 20 per cent in five years.” To read article, click here….

Council pounces, stripping Lort Smith of its pound status The Age, Dec 08

“VICTORIA’S largest animal hospital has been banned from finding new homes for cats and dogs lost in the City of Melbourne, as local pounds brace for a sharp increase in the number of pets dumped over Christmas.

After helping to rehouse abandoned pets for the past 75 years, Lort Smith Animal Hospital has suddenly been ordered by Melbourne City Council to transfer all seized animals to a North Melbourne pound.”To read article, click here…..

Backyard puppy factories just waiting for the next bitch on heat The Age, Nov 23 08

“SHE is a dog with no name who lives in a bric-a-brac jumble by her master’s back door. Her owner appears surprised when asked her name and seems to pluck “Suzy” from the air. A small, grey-and-white crossbreed with matted hair, she doesn’t respond to Suzy. She snarls and squabbles with her litter of hungry pups over a bowl of dog pellets.

“ANIMAL rights activists are calling for the Federal Government to close a loophole that allows thousands of Australian puppies to be sold to Asian pet farms to be used as breeders.”To read article, click here….

DRP: What are your thoughts on these articles?

Please let us know if you see any news articles – forward us the links so we can keep people informed.

This blog….

.....provides information and developments related to progress in creating change in companion animal welfare in Australia. We are not about reinventing the wheel, and so where others have already communicated a story, we will link to their site, and say 'thank you' in advance!
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